Putin and Lukashenko meet, discuss threats from Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko held an informal meeting that lasted about a day, according to Putin. During the talks, they discussed threats from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Putin described Lukashenko's reaction to those threats. The meeting also touched on Belarus' role as a negotiation venue, with Putin reaffirming its relevance.

Separately, Lukashenko visited Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed support for Belarus' sovereignty and independence. Lukashenko also congratulated Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on his birthday. The EU reportedly acknowledged a "genius move" in the Putin-Lukashenko negotiations.